Two Golden Bears Headline NEILA All-New England Teams, Three Others Chosen to Play in 2023 NEILA All-Star Game
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (May 31, 2023) – The Western New England men's lacrosse team saw two of their own added to the New England Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association's All-New England Teams, as announced by the chair of the organization while three other Golden Bears were named to the NEILA East-West All-Star Game.
Senior Dylan Hanley was added to the NEILA All-New England Second Team after recording 122 points for the Golden Bears on the season, which sits second in the NCAA only behind national runner up Jack Boyden from Tufts University. Hanley recorded 52 goals and 70 assists on the season, playing in all 21 games for the Golden Bears. Hanley scooped 65 ground balls while causing 16 turnovers on the season. Offensively, the New Fairfield, Connecticut native took 140 shots, placing 103 on goal, leading all Golden Bears.
Western New England's sole captain Noah Rust received All-New England Honorable Mention Team at midfield after producing on both the offensive and defensive ends for Western New England on the season. Rust appeared in 18 games for Western New England, scoring 16 goals and picking up 11 assists, good for 27 points. Rust scored two goals while a man up, while grabbing 13 ground balls and causing five turnovers on the defensive side of the ball for the Golden Bears. Rust, the Windham, New Hampshire native, took 49 shots on the season, his second highest in his five-year career with WNE, putting 33 on goal. Over his five seasons with WNE, Rust has put together 116 points in 74 games played, scoring 73 goals, and notching 43 assists.
The 2023 NEILA East-West All-Star teams were also announced today, eyeing three Golden Bears to compete in the game. Graduate Student Mike Bannon, Senior Ben Kolb, and Senior Sean Farland will all compete in the game on Friday, June 2 at 7:00 PM at Scotts Miracle Ground Athletic Complex on the campus of Johnson and Wales University in Providence, Rhode Island.
Bannon broke the career points record in WNE men's lacrosse history this season, garnering 280 career points over his five seasons with WNE. Bannon played in 78 games for Western New England, making all 78 starts, scoring 139 goals and dishing 141 assists. The Edmond, Oklahoma native went on to scoop 117 ground balls and cause 19 turnovers for Western New England while taking a program record 422 shots, putting 267 on goal.
Franklin, Massachusetts native Ben Kolb put together a career best 28 points this season, scoring 12 goals and adding 16 assists. Kolb grabbed 11 ground balls for the Golden Bears while picking up two caused turnovers to help Western New England win those final ten of 12 games to close the 2023 season. Kolb played in all 21 games this season for WNE.
Faceoff specialist Sean Farland made 11 starts this season for WNE, playing in all 21 games and was a key contributor in the faceoff circle. Farland came away with an over 50% faceoff win success rate on the season, winning 126 faceoffs for WNE. Farland would contribute 87 ground balls and four caused turnovers in 2023 for Western New England while taking four shots.
WNE finished the season strong, winning ten of their final 12 games of the season, completing the year with a 12-9 record, with a 7-1 mark in CCC play. WNE captured their second straight CCC Championship over Endicott College to advance to the NCAA Men's Lacrosse Second Round Tournament game for the second straight year.
